FAMOUS CRIMES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 39, 15 February 1930, Page 7

FAMOUS CRIMES

BLACKMAILERS' RUSE

MAN WHO DISAPPEARED

LAUGHING AT DEATH

The recent reappearance iv a London police-court of Eddie Guerin, who escaped from Devil's Island, followed upon the death of his quondam lover and confederate, "Chicago May," queen of blackmailers, who, with Charley Smith, her new favourite, once stood in the dock at the Did Bailey for attempting to .murder Guerin. There is something appropriate therefore in the publication of "Strange and Mysterious .Crimfes,',' which contains, with nineteen other real-life thrillers, an account of Chicago May's most daring exploit with Smith while Guerin was on Devil's Island nearly thirty years ago, says "John o'London's AVeekly." In St. John's Wood there lived a wealthy brewer whose one distraction was to frequent the Empire Theatre, where he would sit in the1 promenade bar, sipping brandies-and-sodas. May, whose beauty at that time was striking, soon contrived to make acquaintance with him. The old brewer, however, was cautious, and it was not until after weeks of meetings and theatre parties that May succeeded in luring him to her flat in Baker street. FOUR FIVE-HUNDRED-POUND NOTES. There, indeed, the fly walked into a web most cunningly spun. Through a hole in the wall Smith succeeded in taking six photographs of the unhappy brewer which he had.good reason for wanting to'suppress. These photographs were so skilfully developed that while the brewer's face stood out distinctly, May's features were unrecognisable. The stage was then set for the denouement. From a well-known "fence" in the country Smith obtained two homing-pigeons which were installed in the Baker street flat. On a table were arranged the six compromising photographs with a letter which called the wretched brewer's attention to the pictures, defied him to call the . police, declared that if he disobeyed instructions copies of the pictures would be posted to each of the persons named in the enclosed list (including his wife and children), and directed him to go to'his bank, draw out four five-hundred-pound notes, and attach two of these notes to each of tha pigeons, which he \vas then to release through the window. "This is blackmail —nothing different," concluded the letter. "Once we have the money, all pictures will be destroyed, and you will never be bothered again." May rang up their victim' and invited him to let himself into her flat at 1.30 next day. The blackmailers then decamped and awaited results at the country house to which the pigeons would return. AVho can say whose was the greater agony—that of the victim on discovering the pit into which he had fallen — or that of the criminals who waited in suspence for the verdict, success or disaster? At three o'clock, the two pigeons arrived. Attached to their legs were four five-hundred-pound notes! FROM USHER TO MILLIONAIRE. In the year 1919 Ambrose Small war a dominating figure in the Canadian theatrical world. Starting life as usher in a Toronto theatre at two dollars a week, he used to make Ms colleagues laugh by constantly averring that he would not retire until he had amassed a, million dollars. To the discomfiture of scoffers, the great day arrived. Having acquired theatres all over Eastern Canada and in New York and Chicago as well, he negotiated for the sale of all his interests, and on 2nd December he received a cheque for one million dollars. He deposited this cheque in-a Toronto bank, paid his last visit to the theatre, and left at 6 o 'clock for home and dinner. From that'moment Small has never been seen again, his body has —>ver been found, and no trace or clue to his fate has been discovered, despite the labours of the whole continent's police! Certainly he did not disappear voluntarily, for not one cent of the million dollars was drawn out of the bank. The police believed that he was captured by crooks for ransom and that, proving truculent, he was killed. Presumably, the truth will never be known. A RELIGIOUS MANIAC. In 1913 New York was thrilled by; the discovery of the dismembered remains of a beautiful girl in the Hudson. The only- clue was the cushion cover in which the remains'were wrapped; but this was sufficient to enable the police to find the flat in which she lived. There they found a marriage certificate signed by a priest. The young priest made the following astonishing confession:—- ■ "I was directed to kill her by Saint Elizabeth. Saint Elizabeth is my patron and she directed me to make the sacrifice of the girl I loved; the sacrifice to be consummated in blood, as was the sacrifice of Abraham." .-. Mdst amazing was the conduct of Harry Hayward, executed in 1894 for the murder of Catherine Ging at Minneapolis. Hayward, a young millionaire of social standing, was also guilty; of at least three other murders.. When the sheriff read out the death warrant, Hayward commented lightly: "Have you read all that?" and then in a jesting manner to the doctor who attended him: "Be careful and don't forget your part, Doctor. Remember, this is tho last hanging that I am ever going to have anything to do with." As he quitted his cell he called to the other prison inmates: "Give three cheers for Harry Hayward!" Greeting the spectators with : a cheery "Good, morning, Gentlemen":— He walked directly to the gall.wg and mounted the steps to the landing so rapidly that ho nearly fell. This drew a remark from, him about falling into the hereafter! . . . After he had been shrouded in the black robe of death, he made a brief speech. Occasionally it was interrupted by a, jovial laugh from the speaker. He fell through the trap with a final wave of the hand to those about th» gallows!